Doane Crop Tour Day 6: Ohio corn growth stunted

Editor's note: The following observations were made by Doane crop advisors on Monday in Ohio and Indiana.

Corn Corn throughout northeast Ohio is in poor to very poor condition. It appears that early season dryness stunted growth leaving most plants only five to six feet tall. Plants are fired or turning brown from bottom to nearly the top of the plant. Ears are small or missing. The majority of the fields have yield potential ranging from only 25-75 bpa with the better fields in the low 100s. Yields in this area of Ohio could be down by half or two-thirds of normal. We only see a small portion of the Ohio crop so we can’t judge the entire state based solely on our route.

We also traveled from east to west across the northern crop districts of Indiana. Crop prospects are quite variable in the region. We found some of the poorest corn on the trip in northeastern Indiana. Some fields in this area will be a total loss, with many averaging from 50-75 bpa. Corn improved somewhat in north central Indiana. There were pockets where yields were down 10% to 20%, but a significant amount of irrigation in the region will limit the downside on yields somewhat. However, corn outside the reach of the center pivot is in rough shape. We expect an average in the low 100s compared to normal yields in the 140-170 range. Corn improved as we moved from north central into the northwestern counties of Indiana. Yield checks ranged from 140 to near 200 bushels, but again there is a great deal of variability. In the better fields, ear counts are running over 30,000 per acre, but again the ear size in most cases is well below average. For comparison we rate northwestern Indiana from 120-130 bpa versus to 150-160 bpa in recent years.

SoybeansSoybeansOur soybean observations on Monday found the worst soybeans of the tour in north western Ohio and northeastern Indiana. From the historical crop tour perspective of this analyst, the observations relative to regional norms were perhaps the worst he has seen since 1980 in the Delta. This week’s crop condition report pegged Indiana at 54% poor to very poor. We would characterize northeast Indiana at 80% to 90% poor to very poor. Northwest Ohio may be on the order of 70% to 80% poor to very poor against the new state estimate of 37%. Yields projected toward 30 bushels on average. Prospects improved some as we traveled across north central to northwest Indiana. As mentioned in the corn comments, there is irrigation in the region. It is a necessity this year on the sandy soils. By the time we reached northwest Indiana, there were some very good fields that had caught a break with recent rains and the district yield projected more toward the mid 40s.